By Daniel Kamau Kenya Airways (KQ) seeks to strengthen its cargo business as it expands intra-African connectivity by increasing its aircraft count. The planned fleet expansion is set to double its aircraft count to 100 by 2035, positioning Nairobi as a leading aviation hub on the continent. Speaking on the sidelines of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Annual General Meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Kenya Airways Interim CEO and Chair of the African Airlines Association (AFRAA), George Kamal, said the airline aims to grow its current fleet of 42 aircraft to 60 by 2030 before reaching the 100-aircraft mark…
Author: NBM CORRESPONDENT
By Daniel Kamau Family Bank is set to list its shares on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) on June 23, 2026, after receiving formal approval from the Capital Markets Authority (CMA). The mid-tier lender will list 1.66 billion shares by way of introduction, currently owned by 6,345 shareholders, meaning the bank will not raise additional capital through the listing. The listing is expected to improve liquidity for existing shareholders and broaden investor participation in the lender moving forward. The bank’s Managing Director, Nancy Njau, stated: “Our vision to positively transform the lives of people in Africa has remained unchanged, and…
By Daniel Kamau The government’s plan to sell data collected by eCitizen and other state agencies has sparked debate over privacy concerns versus the value of information in the digital economy. While officials see the initiative as a new frontier for Kenya’s digital economy, critics argue that issues of privacy, consent, and the state’s capacity to safeguard citizen data must be carefully addressed. According to the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy, the proposed marketplace would only trade in non-personal, anonymised and aggregated data, excluding information that can directly identify individuals. The policy, developed under the leadership of…
By Regan Oluoch President William Ruto has sought to position Kenya as a leading destination for trade and investment during his visit to Europe, while also pushing for stronger access for Kenyan products in the European Union market. Addressing business leaders in Belgium, Ruto said Kenya is positioning itself as a regional hub for agriculture, technology and logistics, with the government keen on attracting new investors and expanding export opportunities. He noted that Kenya serves as a gateway to a market of more than 1.4 billion people under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), valued at about $3.4 trillion.…
The World Cup kicks off on Thursday with FIFA hoping that the enduring appeal of soccer’s greatest showpiece can rise above the anger at soaring ticket prices, an uneasy political climate in the United States and the shadow of conflict in the Middle East. A record 48 teams and millions of fans are set to descend on the United States, Canada and Mexico for the first-ever World Cup co-hosted by three nations, the largest and most logistically complex edition of the tournament ever staged. The action gets under way at Mexico City’s iconic Estadio Azteca on Thursday, with co-host Mexico…
Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi will on Thursday present Kenya’s Sh4.8 trillion 2026/27 Budget Statement in Parliament starting at 3:00 p.m. The proposed national spending plan totals Sh4.8 trillion. Education, health, security, and infrastructure will receive the largest allocations to support President William Ruto’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA). The budget projects a fiscal deficit of about Sh1.1 trillion, with the tax authority and other revenue sources expected to raise Sh3.6 trillion. These projections follow the recently concluded parliamentary and public debates surrounding the contentious Finance Bill 2026 and Kenya’s national debt-servicing obligations. Last year’s Finance Bill sparked widespread unease…
By Daniel Kamau Kenya Power will close all its remaining payment counters in banking halls by June 2027 as part of a plan to transition fully to digital payments and customer service channels. The utility says online and mobile platforms now facilitate more than five million customer engagements every month, reflecting a growing shift toward digital service delivery. Under the phased rollout, payment counters in Nyeri, Thika and Kisii will be closed by the end of this month. Counters in Nakuru, Kisumu and Eldoret will follow by the end of 2026, while the final phase will involve the closure of…
By Regan Oluoch Kenya’s tea industry could receive a major funding boost if proposed regulations by the Ministry of Agriculture are approved, introducing a new levy on tea exports and imports to finance sector development. The government estimates that the proposed tea export and import levy will generate about Sh1.42 billion annually to support key activities in the industry. Of this, approximately Sh1.38 billion is expected to come from exports, based on 2023 performance, while imports would contribute about Sh40 million. In 2023, Kenya exported more than 522 million kilograms of tea, earning Sh180.57 billion in foreign exchange. “Based on…
By Otieno Bildad The fertiliser subsidy programme has received the largest increase in the 2026/27 budget estimates, with its allocation more than doubling from Sh8 billion in the 2025/26 financial year to Sh18 billion this year. In addition to the increased funding, the government has already begun distributing 3 million bags of fertiliser ahead of the long rains, targeting a total of 12.3 million bags annually. The price of a 50kg bag remains capped at Sh2,500 to ensure affordability for farmers. On the other hand, the National Agricultural Value Chain Development Project (NAVCDP) is among the programmes that recorded the…
By Otieno Bildad World’s largest electric two-wheeler manufacturer, Yadea, has entered the Kenyan market, marking a significant expansion in the country’s rapidly growing e-mobility sector. Unveiling its operations at Autoexpo Kenya 2026 in Nairobi on June 4, the Chinese company introduced five electric motorcycle models tailored for the local boda boda industry, personal commuters, and last-mile logistics providers. This move establishes Kenya as Yadea’s second foothold in East Africa, following a three-year presence in Ethiopia, where the company reports having sold over 48,000 units. Central to Yadea’s Kenyan launch is the KIFA, a commercial electric motorcycle designed for cargo transport…
